Drink dispenser



July 16, 1929.

w. E. BAKER DRINK DISPENSER Filed Jan.v 27, 1927 3 Sheets-Sheet INVENTOR $53 121:

ATTORN EY W. E. BAKER DRINK DISPENSER July 16, 1929.

3 Sheets-Sheet 2 x t. A

Ill IIIIIIIILI IIIIIII Filed Jan. 27, 1927 INVENTQR KZ'BaKer.

ATTORNEY W. E. BAKER DRINK DISPENSER July 16, 1929.

Filed Jan. 27, 1927 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR WI,- Baker.

ATTORNEY Patented July 16, 1929.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

, mm! a or asmia, omen mmix msmsaa Application ma January 27, 1921. sci-mat. 104,052..

The invention generally relates to liquid dispensing apparatus and primarily has for its object to provide a simple and economically constructed drink dispenser in which means is provided for automatically depositing a drinking cup and a measured drink in position for being readily partaken of by the person so desiring and who has properly manipulated the control lever.

In its more detailed nature the invention seeks to provide an apparatus of the class described comprising a liquid reservoir, means for measuring a redetermined quantity of the liquid upon demand, a nested cup compartment, means for depositing the cups individually in position to receive the measured drink, and a single control lever and connections for operating the cup positioning and drink depositing means in desired sequence.

With the above and other objects in view that will hereinafter appear, the invention further resides inthe novel details of construction, combination and arrangement of parts, all of which will be first fully described, then be particularly pointed out in the appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which: 7

Figure 1 is a perspective view illustrating the invention.

Figure 2 is a front elevation illustrating the invention, parts being broken away and in section.

Figure 3 is a horizontal section taken on the line 3-3 on Figure 2.

Figure 4 is an enlarged detail section illustrating the drink ,quantity controlling and delivering means.

Figure 5 is a detail section illustrating the cup delivery mechanism.

Figure 6 is a View similar to Figure 5 showing the function of the parts in releasing a sticln'n cup.

Figure 7 is a d etail plan view illustrating one simple type of coin control which may be employed.

In the drawings, in which like numerals of reference indicate like parts in all of the figures, 1 indicates the main housing which is equipped with a suitably moimted horizontal partition or floor 2 to divide the same into upper and lower compartments, the upper compartment serving to accommodate the positioning of the liquid reservoir and an ice chamber 3 for suitably cooling the and forms a suitable liquid in a manner hereinafter again referred to.

The upper compartment of the housing or cabinet is provided with a hinged lid or cover. 4 through which access may readily be had into the upper compartment, and to prevent unauthorized tampering, the covermay be lock equippedas at 5. The cabinet 1s also provided at one side'with a door 6' through which cracked ice may be filled into which the interior of the be readily viewed.

The remaining simulated column 8 accommodates a liquid indicator compartment and is window or sight equipped as at 14 so that the interior thereof may be viewed for compartment may a purpose later to be described. The base portion beneath this column is hollowed out money compartment 15 equipped with a coin receiving tray 16 and a suitable hinge and lock equipped door through which access maybe had to the said compartment.

A liquid reservoir 17 is mounted in the upper compartment of the cabinet which may be constructed generally in any suitable provi ed with a suitable window or sight 12 through manner but which includes at its lower ex- 05 tremity a suitable discharge throat 18 which seats in the receiving throat 19 which is suitably gasketed as .at 20 and forms the upper extremity or receiving neck 21 of a coolmg coil 22 which is coiled about in the ice chamber- 3 hereinbefore. referred to.

The lowermost or discharge end of the coil 22 discharges into a union 23 which serves to connect the said discharge end with the valve neck 24, a suitable crosabrace 25 being secured in the cabinet beneath the partition floor '2 to assurea strong mounting for the valve neck and coil end to overcome weakening tendency that might cause leakage.

distance beneath the partition floor 2 and is equipped with a relatively large discharge port and valve seat 26.

A measuring cup or vessel 27 is provided for cooperating with the valve neck 24 and the said vessel is provided at its upper end with a counterbore 28 adapted to slidably fit the depending portion of the neck 24 to permit a degree of vertical sliding movement of the measuring vessel on the said neck. The vessel 27 is provided at its lower end with a relatively small discharge throatway which provides a suitable valve seat 29 and which is formed in the depending neck 30 formed on the lower end of the said vessel.

A' double valve 31 is provided and is equipped with a relatively large valve element 32 at'its upper end for seating in the valve seat of the neck 24 and a lower valve .element 33 for seatingin the measuring vessel valve seat 29.

By reference to Figures 2 and 4 it will be observed that when the parts are in the normal position the upper valve element 32 will be seated in the upper valve seat 26 preventing flow of liquid out of the coil into the measuring vessel 27. In this case, themeasuring vessel is at its lowered position and the lower valve element 33 is unseated from the lower valve seat 29, leaving the discharge throatway of the measuring vessel open. keeper head 34 is secured in the lower end of the double valve member in such a manner as to support the measuring vessel when at its lowered position just described and prevent disassociation of the parts. By moving the measuring vessel 27 upwardly on the neck 24 in a manner later to be described,-

the lower valve element 33 will first be caused to seat closing the discharge throatway of the said vessel and on continued vertical movement the upper valve element 32 will next be unseated to permit How of a suflicient quantity of liquid into the measuring vessel to fill the same. When the measuring vessel is again lowered the reverse action will take place and the uppervalve element will be seated and the lower valve element unseated and the measured quantity of liquid within the vessel permitted to How therefrom through the neck 30.

The neck 30 of the measuring vessel dis'-.

charges into the receiving end of a delivery tube 35, the discharge end 36 of which is extended into the service compartment 10 to deliver the contents of the measuring vessel into a suitable receptacle (a sanitary drinking cup) positioned in that compartment. For. suitably raising arid lowering the measuring vessel 27 to accomplish the functions just described I provide a bail 37 pivoted as at 38 to the housing beneath the floor 2 and having the bail arms thereof angled in the manner illustrated in Figure 2 of the drawings and with the extremities in the normal position of the parts,

thereof pivoted as at 39 to the trunnions 40 which project from opposite sides of the vessel 27.

Another bail 41 has its extremities piv- I The coin compartment 15 may be provided with a suitable floor or rest 47 and a side slotway 48, and the rest 47 may also have a coin drop slot 49. A slide 50 is 'slidable on the rest 47 and through the slotway 48 and has its projected end slot and pin connected as at 51 to the extended end of the lever 44 so that the said slide will be reciprocated as the lever is oscillated.

The slide 50'is provided with a'coin depression 52 leading into a coin slot 53 which, is half covered or more than half covered in the side slotway 48 so that in order to insert a coin into the slot it is necessary to lay it in the depression 52 and work it into the slot 53 through the slotway 48.

A fixed stop 54 is provided and the slide 50 is equipped with a spring trigger 55 which normally engages the stop 54 and -renders it impossible to move the lever 44 at release dog 56 which when a coin is 111- sorted into the slot 53 is displaced and the spring trigger 55 removed from engagement with the stop 54 to thus permit movement of the lever and forcing of the slide inward so that the coin in the slot 53 may drop into the tray 16. This movement of the lever effects a raising of the measuring vessel 27, as hereinbefore described, and effects the measuring of a predetermined quantity of liquid.

A plurality drinking cups 57 are deposited into the compartment 9 in nested relation with their flanges bearing the usual spaced relation. In the service compartment 10 are provided opposed sets of upper and lower delivery members 58 rotatably mounted as at 59 and each set of which includes toothed sectors 60 adapted to engage to cause the upper and lower members of each set to rotate in opposite directions when motion is imparted to one member of each set.

The lower members of the delivery sets are each equipped with rest lugs 61 adapted to fit under the flange 62 of the lowermost one of the nested cups to support the entire stack of cups when the parts are in the normal position. The members 58 of each set are equipped with separator cam surfaces 63, those of the upper members being effective of the usual type of sanitary Y in an upward direction and those of the lower members being effective in a downward direction.

A crank 64 is secured to the nearest upper and the opposite lower member 58, said cranks being link-connected as at 65 to move together and with the operating lever'44.

Thus, each time the lever is moved to the left to elevate the measuring vessel 27 and to fill it with a measured quantit of liquid, the members 58' are moved to th illustrated in Figure 6 to force the lowermost cup downwardly off of the stack of cups and to simultaneously slightly raise the remainder of the stack of cups, thus serving not only to deposit a cup into the compartment 10 in position for receiving the measured quantity of liquid but also to assure stri ping of that cup from oil the stack should tendency to stick exist. a A drain or conduit 66 is connected as at 67 into the discharge end of the coil 22 andconnects with the drain pipe 68 through a suitable cutofl or control valve 69 by manipulation of which the contents of the coil may be drained when desired. An indicator tube is connected with the conduit 66 above the control valve proper and is extended up into the column 8 to be viewed through the window thereof for ascertaining the level of liquid in the reservoir.

To assure positive return of the lever 44 to its normal position and consequently the normal position of the measuring vessel and cup discharging elements 58, a suitable re-' tractile spring 71 may be conneetedto the housing and to the angle of the bail 37 so that the same will exert its tendency downward on the said bail.

In operation when it is desired to draw a regular quantity of liquid refreshment from the cabinet the operator places the proper coin into the depression 52 and from there into the coin slot 53, thus releasing the stop and permitting movement of the lever 44. \Vhen the lever 44 is moved to the left the measuring vessel 27 is elevated and the double valve actuated to permit filling of the vessel. During this operation, the elements 58 have been actuated to'cause the depositing of a drinking cup in the compartment 10 beneath the discharging end 36 of the delivery ipe 35. The lever is again moved to the rig 1t.,.back to its nomial osition, causing the measuring vessel to lowered to its normal position and the double valve reseated to close communication from the coil into the measuring .vessel and to open communication from the said vessel into the delivery tube when the measured drink will pass through the said delivery tube and into the deposited cup. The operator now has but to open the sanitary door 1 and partake of the drink automatically deposited therein.

While I have disclosed one type of coin e position controlled mechanism it is to be understood that any suitable type of coin mechanism may be employed or the device may even be used without a coin control, if desired.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection withthe accompanying drawings, it is thought the complete construction I the manner of operation and advantages of my invention will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art to which it relates. What I claim is: 1. In liquid dispensing apparatus, a liquid supply duct including an outlet neck having a relatively large outlet port, a measuring vessel vertically slidably mounted on said neck and having a relatively small discharge port, a double val-ve adapted to close the outlet port and open the. discharge port when the vessel is in its lowered position and to open the outlet port and close the discharge port when the vessel is in its raised position, a, stop head depending from the double valve to sustain the vessel when in its lowered position, and means to raise and lower the vessel for the purposes specified.

In liquid dispensing apparatus, a liquid supply duct including an outlet neck having a relatively large outlet port, a measuring vessel vertically slidably mounted on said neck having a relatively small dischar e port, a double valve adapted to close t e outlet port and open the discharge port when the vessel is in its lowered position and to open the outlet port and close the discharge port when the vessel is in its raised position, a stop head depending from the double valve to sustain the vessel when in its lowered position, a rockable lever, trunnions projecting from opposite sides of the vessel, a bail pivoted to a fixed support and having angled arms pivoted at their free extremities to the trunnions, and a bail pivoted to one lever end and to the angled arms the pivot connections being made in the angles, whereby when the lever is rocked the vessel will be raised to measure a uantity of liquid and when lowered will ispense the measured quantity of liquid.

3. In liquid dispensing machines, liquid measuring and delivering mechanism comprising a liquid supply duct having an outlet, a valve controlling the supply duct outlet, a measuring vessel cooperative with the supply duct outlet to receive liquid there- 'from when the valve is opened and itself having a, discharge'port, said valve including a stem and an auxiliary valve within said vessel, said auxiliary valve cooperating with the vessels discharge port, and a manually o erable device for raising and lowering sai vessel to alternately seat and unseat said first mentioned valve and its auxiliary valve whereby, when said cup is raised, said auxiliary valve will be seated to close said discharge port and said first mentioned valve will be opened to permit filling of the vessel for the purposes specified.

4. In liquid dispensing machines, liquid measuring and delivering mechanism com- 5 prising a liquid supply duct including a valve controlled outlet, a measuring vessel slidably mounted in cooperative relation to the duct outlet and having a discharge port,

a double valve member adapted to open the outlet and close the port or open the port 10 and close the outlet accordingly as said vessel is moved in one direction or the other and means for moving the vesselas and for the purposes specified.

\VILLIAM E. BAKER. 

